Capital’s pollution drives up demand for ‘air-purifying’ plants

New delhi: As Delhi’s air quality dips to hazardous levels, “air-purifying” indoor plants are witnessing a surge in demand. Nurseries across the city say customers are increasingly turning to these plants to improve indoor air quality.

Ashok Kumar of Saini Plant Home in Connaught Place said the demand for air-purifying plants has jumped in recent days.

“Earlier, we used to sell around 50 to 60 such plants daily but as the pollution season nears the sales double as we sell more than 100 air purifying plants every day,” he stated.

“People are buying a lot of indoor plants such as Areca Palm, Kent Palm and Chamaedorea Palm. The demand has gone up a lot,” he added.

With Delhi’s air pollution oscillating between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ conditions, nursery owners said buyers now walk in with a clear idea of what they want -- plants that promise cleaner indoor air.

The most sought-after varieties include Snake Plant, Peace Lily, Areca Palm, Money Plant, Spider Plant, Aglaonema, Rubber Plant and Boston Fern.

At Greenways Nursery in Dera Village, staff members said the rush has increased since pollution levels spiked.

“It’s been a heavy week,” a worker said. “People are buying many varieties of palms and indoor plants. Every year during this season, sales go up like this.”

Meanwhile, experts say certain indoor and traditional plants can play a vital role in combating rising air pollution by absorbing harmful gases, filtering particulate matter, and improving overall air quality.

According to Professor Anand Sonkar, Department of Botany, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, “Plants like the spider plant, peace lily, and areca palm are excellent natural air purifiers that help mitigate pollution by absorbing harmful gases and releasing oxygen.”

As pollution peaks, Delhiites are turning to indoor plants like Areca Palm, Snake Plant and Peace Lily to purify air. Nursery owners report steady demand, with buyers spending between Rs 150 and Rs 10,000. Experts say these plants absorb pollutants, release oxygen and improve indoor air quality.